MA in Security Studies - US National Security Policy in Washington United States | Georgetown University

Georgetown University | Washington United States
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Qualification
Masters Degree
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD 58,848
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
24 months

The Security Studies Program aims to educate future analysts, policymakers, and researchers to approach 21st-century security challenges with analytical rigor and ethical consideration. SSP provides an interdisciplinary master's program that equips graduates for careers in defense and security, featuring a diverse curriculum with courses spanning multiple disciplines. Students leverage their undergraduate theoretical foundations to tackle real-world policy issues, while experienced professionals from military, intelligence, and defense sectors complement their practical expertise with advanced analytical and theoretical frameworks. With intentionally limited class sizes, SSP fosters collaborative learning among students and faculty. The program actively supports working professionals by offering evening courses and events to accommodate their schedules.

The U.S. National Security Policy specialization equips students to assess critical security issues and comprehend U.S. policy formulation processes. Curriculum components analyze all instruments of national power—military, diplomatic, intelligence, and economic—while exploring the political realities that often create disparities between recommended and implemented policies. Foundational courses address congressional influence on security matters and the interplay between budgeting, policy, and strategic planning. The concentration thoroughly examines global and regional security threats facing the United States, along with contemporary debates about potential solutions.


Destination of Study

Subjects of Study

Language Requirements

English
IELTS 7.5

Qualification Requirements

Resume or CV (No page limit)
Statement of Purpose: Your statement of purpose is not to exceed 500 words and should address your intellectual interests and professional and academic goals. The statement of purpose is a critical component of the SSP application. Please carefully explain how SSP specifically fits into your future academic and professional plans.
Optional Statement: As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement of up to 500 words to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals, or how your background (e.g., first generation student, resident outside the U.S.) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.
Transcripts: Applicants are required to upload to the application system copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
Letters of recommendation from three (3) individuals who can assess the applicant's qualifications and preparation for graduate study in security studies. Letters of recommendation are to be submitted electronically using the online application system. Personal letters of recommendation, such as those from colleagues, coaches, and family friends, are not accepted.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, submit either:
Official GRE scores sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). See below for additional information on standardized testing.
OR

Supplemental Analytical Writing Sample: Please answer the following prompt in no more than 600 words: Discuss a security challenge facing the US or the international system and identify potential solutions.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was not the primary language of instruction, submit either:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
TOEFL: 100 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), 250 on the Computer-Based Test, 600 on the paper-based exam.
IELTS: 7.5

Tuition USD 58,848
Washington D.C., DC, United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree

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